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4.7 from 9 votes

Lemon Ricotta Cookies

These soft Italian lemon ricotta cookies are delicate and inviting. The dough can be made up to a week in advance and baked whenever you want. The creamy glaze holds the sprinkles perfectly.

Prep Time
45 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 72 cookies
Calories: 111 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter (2 sticks) at room temperature
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 ¾ cups whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1 lemon zested
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 4 cups unbleached all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
FOR GLAZE:
  • 4 cups confectioners sugar
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice or fresh lemon juice
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • ¼ cup milk or half and half plus more as needed
DECORATING
  • sugar pearls
  • jimmies
  • Sprinkles
  • lemon zest
  • toasted almond slices
  • Food Coloring whisk in 2-4 drops to the confectioners glaze to give cookies a festive look before glazing.

Instructions

FOR THE RICOTTA COOKIE DOUGH
    Cup of Yum
  1. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, place the softened butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy.
  2. Add the ricotta, lemon zest, vanilla and almond extract and beat until well incorporated. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
  3. Add flour, baking soda and salt and mix until just combined and you have a soft dough. Cover and refrigerate at least two hours or for several days until you're ready to bake the cookies.
  4. Preheat the oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat.
  5. Scoop a scant tablespoon of dough into a ball and place it on the baking sheet. Continue in this method, setting the dough about 2 inches apart from each other on the pan (the cookies will spread).
  6. Bake for 13-15 minutes or until the bottoms of the cookies are a pale brown. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.
MAKING CONFECTIONERS GLAZE
  1. In a medium bowl combine the confectioners sugar, melted butter, lemon juice, vanilla extract, almond extract and a few tablespoons of the milk. Whisk to combine. Add additional milk by the tablespoon, whisking after each addition until the sugar glaze is thick, but the right consistency for spread and dipping. You want the confectioners glaze to spread and ooze evenly over the cookies when dunked.
GLAZING LEMON RICOTTA COOKIES
  1. Pick up a cooled cookie and turn it upside down so that it can be dunked in the glaze. You don't have to coat the entire cookie, just give it a nice crown and let the glaze run down and over the sides. Continue with all of the cookies.
  2. Sprinkle Italian ricotta cookies with your favorite jimmies, sprinkles, sugar pearls or other adornments.

Notes

  • Store Italian lemon ricotta cookies in an airtight container, separated by sheets of parchment, so they don't smudge.

Nutrition Information

Calories 111kcal (6%) Carbohydrates 18g (6%) Protein 2g (4%) Fat 4g (6%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Cholesterol 16mg (5%) Sodium 78mg (3%) Potassium 20mg (1%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 12g (24%) Vitamin A 120IU (2%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 16mg (2%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 72cookies

Amount Per Serving

Calories 111

% Daily Value*

Calories 111kcal 6%
Carbohydrates 18g 6%
Protein 2g 4%
Fat 4g 6%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Cholesterol 16mg 5%
Sodium 78mg 3%
Potassium 20mg 0%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 12g 24%
Vitamin A 120IU 2%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 16mg 2%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.